By Judy Cohen | Comments Off on Wyc Grousbeck on MFB: Celtics not just ‘glad to be here’

Celtics co-owner and CEO Wyc Grousbeck joined Middays with MFB on Wednesday afternoon to give his thoughts on the state of his team in the playoffs as well as hit on some current events regarding former C’s. To hear the interview, go to the MFB audio on demand page.

After the beginning of the season that the Celtics had, it’s not a stretch to say that people had a hard time imagining them in the playoffs come April. A hot second half propelled Boston to where it is now, heading back to TD Garden for game three of its opening round series against the Cavaliers. While Cleveland might not have been the most favorable matchup for the Celtics, Grousbeck is just happy the team is where it is.

“It was a lot of fun last night [Tuesday],” he said. “I’m very very proud of our team, and I saw the Cavs winning the game, they’ve beaten us twice, it wasn’t super close at the end of either game, but we gave them a scare last night. We played them super hard as a team, missed some shots we could have made, I suppose we deserved to lose. The Cavs are a great team, but I was really proud of how we played last night.”

Losing by 13 points in game one and then by eight on Tuesday night for game two, the C’s are in a bit of a hole going into Thursday. Despite the hole, though, Grousbeck is optimistic of his squad’s chances.

“We’re going be on home turf, we played these guys pretty tough for two games,” he said. “I like the fact that we are going to play hard, we’re going to play as a team, we’re very, very well-coached, we’re playing a team that’s definitely got more talent and has got the edge on us in the series and are contenders for the championship, the Cavs, but I really cannot wait for tomorrow night to kick off. I think it’s going to be a memorable night. I don’t know what will happen, but I know we’ll play hard and we’re going to give them a game.”

And while Grousbeck acknowledged that Cleveland does have the edge over Boston, he expects the Celtics to give their opponents a fight.

“This isn’t a ‘glad to be here, grab a couple appetizers and leave the party early,'” he said. “We’d like to tie this thing up.”

Grousbeck also noted that no one has deluded themselves into thinking that the Celtics have the elite level of talent that some other teams do, but they do possess other qualities that give them a fighting chance.

“We’ve got the heart, we’ve got the teamwork, we’ve got the coaching, we’ve got some great talent, really good players,” he said.

“We are not there yet,” Grousbeck added. “We’re not fooling anybody by saying we’re there, and we’re going to continually try and improve, but I also just love watching these guys step up their games … I love how our guys have stepped up their games and I love the possibilities we have in the future to even get better.”

Regardless of the outcome of the series, Grousbeck knows that making the playoffs and getting to this point is what helps draw people to Boston.

“I love being in the playoffs,” he said. “This is how you build a team, you make it a place that people want to come play.”

“I did. Yes, I did. Good observation,” said Ainge, pausing, and then adding, “but I do believe the extraordinary is possible.”

Ladies and gentleman, the 2014-15 Boston Celtics, where the extraordinary is possible, but the reality is the roster looks an awful lot like the edition that won 25 games this past season.

“There were things that we wanted to do that we weren’t able to do,” said Ainge. “There were some things that were tempting that we didn’t do, that I’m very glad we didn’t do. I like that we were able to get some things accomplished, although we weren’t able to get a big, big deal accomplished that we wanted to. But I’m excited about our two young guys that we drafted, I’m very happy that we have Avery [Bradley] coming back and I really like our young core.”

It’s no secret the Celtics wanted Kevin Love, but all reports indicated their interest never amounted to much. Now, it seems, there was another trade ownership considered “a major deal” this summer that Ainge dismissed.

“We had definitely hoped to try to make bigger moves this offseason, to be honest,” he said. “Having said that, it takes two partners to make a trade, so we focused on longterm trying to build the club. We think we’re a better team now — positioned for the future, some new young talent and even more draft picks — but it’s been a patient summer so far, and I’m not always the most patient guy.”

It was the first question that came to the mind of most Celtics fans when the team selected Marcus Smart with its first first-round pick Thursday night: What does this mean for Rajon Rondo?

Well, according to owner Wyc Grousbeck, the answer is not much at all. The reason for Grousbeck’s public stance is Brad Stevens, who proved through a 25-win season that he could handle most of what Rondo could throw at any first-year coach.

“It’s interesting, that wasn’t a topic of conversation tonight,” Grousbeck said. “We have confidence in Brad that he can manage a roster but we also had confidence that of the top six we were going to take the best available as opposed to trying to slot in. That’s a strategy when you’re rebuilding a team, you take the best available athlete and then you let it all work out. We’ve got an All-Star point guard, so that’s not a question here.”

“I don’t think this has any impact on Rajon at all.”

Grousbeck acknowledged he hadn’t spoken with his star point guard before the selection was made.

Earlier this offseason, Grousbeck hinted at possible “fireworks” this summer if Danny Ainge found a trade partner.

“I always said fireworks were a possibility,” he said. “It takes two to tango around here. There just hasn’t been that much movement tonight. Typically on draft day, we make two trades if not three. That’s just the way we roll, ‘Trader Danny,’ and it’s had great effect for us. We like to be aggressive about rebuilding this team. We like to become contenders again as quickly as possible. So, we’ll keep working the phones, but it takes two partners to make a trade.”

So the Celtics did what Ainge predicted they would at the beginning of the night — hold onto their selections at 6 and 17 overall, taking Smart and Kentucky wing James Young.

“We knew there were six or seven kids that we wanted,” Grousbeck said. “So, the idea of moving to 8 or 10, moving slightly higher in the draft really wasn’t of interest. Maybe there’s a cliff in the draft. We wanted to stay at 6 or move up. We wanted to make other trades in recent days. We’d been on the phone quite a bit with other teams about other ideas. Nothing ever really seemed close to fruition, no matter how hard we tried. I remember trading for Kevin Garnett in ’07 and I got a call from Minnesota on July 30 or 31st, [so] the trade season is not over yet.”

By Mike Petraglia | Comments Off on Wyc Grousbeck thinks of Red Auerbach in drafting Marcus Smart: ‘He’s an instigator [and] a bull’

Apparently Red Auerbach paid very close attention to the Big Bad Bruins.

When the Celtics chose Oklahoma State fireplug point guard Marcus Smart with the sixth pick overall Thursday night, Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck thought back to something Auerbach told him when he bought the team.

“We like the fact that he’s an instigator,” Grousbeck said. “Back to Red, as Red told me personally right when I came in, ‘You need instigators, not retaliators.’ This kid is energetic. He’s a bull. He is a force, and when I met him, he filled the doorway. He’s just got that physique and that drive and that attitude that we really like around the Celtics.”

Grousbeck said Smart has been on the radar of the Celtics for some time, including three sessions in front of team president of basketball operations Danny Ainge.

“Our war room is very happy with the pick,” Grousbeck said. “My job is to be part of that and be supportive. Our basketball guys are very excited and have been focusing on Marcus for several weeks. [They] really like the top six or seven kids in the draft quite a bit but really thought he’s pretty exceptional in a couple of ways and really looking forward to having him in green.

“He’s been on our list for a month as we started setting up the draft workouts. He came back here twice and Danny saw him again in a third workout elsewhere. He’s seen him personally three times in the last two or three weeks. We really think there’s a lot of quality in the top of the draft here and think that it’s not always clear how to differentiate among the quality. I’m repeating things as opposed to giving you my own personal evaluation. That’s not my role with this team. But we think this kid really has some special attributes.”

By Mike Petraglia | Comments Off on Rajon Rondo appreciates Wyc Grousbeck sticking his neck out for him

The debate over the long-term future of Rajon Rondo in Boston will seemingly continue as long as he’s in a Celtics uniform. But one thing that can’t be denied is Rondo’s appreciation of those who have his back in turbulent times, led by the man who cuts his paycheck.

Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck told the Boston Globe this week that despite all of the rumors and speculation on the future of the tempestuous point guard, Rondo remains the leader of the franchise going forward.

What did that mean to Rondo?

“It means a lot, especially coming from the head guy,” Rondo said after Friday’s loss to the Suns. “With all the rumors swirling, the criticism that I was having throughout the past couple weeks, he stuck his neck out. He didn’t have to say anything, but he did. I’ve talked to Wyc since then. Everything is what it’s supposed to be.”

Here is what Grousbeck told the Boston Globe in a story that reflected on the rebuilding season of 2013-14:

“[Rondo is] loved right here, from my seat on the court,” the owner said. “I love the guy. I love his championship ring when he was the young kid. I love his growth. It reminds me of Paul Pierce. Growing from the moments in his younger days and making progress toward being an all-time Celtic and a leader. I am always hopeful that a guy like that is going to stay around.”

Rondo will enter the final year of his contract next season, in which he will make $12.9 million.

Earlier this season, Rondo said he would be open to signing a long-term deal with the Celtics but, at the same time, indicated an interest to test free agent waters. Rondo signed a five-year, $55 million extension at the start of the 2009-10 season.

Celtics managing partner Wyc Grousbeck‘s Causeway Media Partners — a company formed by a group of parties with ownership stakes in the team — is investing $21 million in Formula E, a new electric-car racing circuit that is set to debut in September.

The Formula E series is scheduled to start with a race in Beijing and continue with 10 races around the world in a Fomula One-style championship.

“We aim to help make Formula E a worldwide sensation,” Grousbeck told The Associated Press. “With our upcoming races in the centers of Los Angeles and Miami, we will help showcase the power and promise of sustainable vehicle technology.”

Causeway Media Partners was formed in May to invest in sports media and entertainments properties. Formula E is its first venture.

“We know the power of competition and entertainment, and will bring our knowledge to the development of the market for electric vehicles,” Grousbeck said. “Causeway’s mission is to find investment opportunities that benefit from our deep network of NBA and NFL team owners, media executives and professional investors. Formula E is a perfect match.”

Grousbeck will serve on the board of Formula E Holdings, and he said he expects that the series will help bring technological advancements that will translate to consumer electric vehicles.

“The ultimate goal is to become a preferred channel for promoting and increasing electric vehicle sales to consumers,” Causeway Media Partners said in a release. “If this goal is achieved, the holding company that owns the sport should become highly profitable.”